Sleep disorders are the second most common cause of depression in the United States. When prolonged, sleep disorders not only cause psychiatric disorders, but also hypertension, heart attacks and strokes. Currently, there are no studies confirming the relationship between sleep disorders and depression using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2017-2018. […]
A18: Enzymatic Conversion of Psilocybin and Related Tryptamines by Alkaline Phosphatase and Monoamine Oxidase A
The McMurray lab is a behavioral neuroscience lab that focuses on the study of tryptamines commonly found in “magic” mushrooms. The main tryptamine found in these mushrooms is psilocybin, and this has been extensively studied as a therapeutic because of its promising antidepressant effects. The leading theory for why psilocybin possesses this antidepressant efficacy is […]
A19: The Role of the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus in the Expression of Safety Learning
An estimated 70% of the population experiences a traumatic event at some point in their life, and up to 20% of these individuals go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a debilitating condition that significantly reduces the quality of life and alters an individual’s ability to regulate fear and safety cues. Rodent […]
A20: Examining Ohio House Bill 436: Screening and Intervention for Children with Dyslexia
This presentation critically examines the implications of Ohio House Bill 436, commonly referred to as, “The Dyslexia Law,” and its impact on pre-service teachers, districts, and students. Students with dyslexia usually experience difficulties with other language skills such as spelling, writing, and pronouncing words (Moats & Dakin, 2020). The purpose of this presentation was to […]
A21: Amygdala Intercalated Neuron Contributions to Alcohol Drinking Behavior
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) have a high rate of comorbidity. While this comorbidity is well documented, its neural correlates are still poorly understood. Recent studies have shown that anxiety disorders and AUD are similarly characterized by altered amygdalar structure and activity but less is known about the specific circuits within […]
A22: Impact of Nicotine and Alcohol Individually and Concurrently in ChAT-MOR Knockout Mice
Alcohol and nicotine are common substances that impact individuals individually and concurrently. This project aims to investigate the impact of nicotine and alcohol in ChAT-MOR mice individually and concurrently. Nicotine and ethanol both affect dopamine release through different mechanisms. We are specifically studying the impact of cholinergic interneurons on dopamine release within the striatum. CHAT-MOR […]
A23: The Effects of Lead Exposure During Early Development on Fentanyl Addictive Behavior in Mice
This study investigates a potential causal relationship between developmental lead (Pb) exposure and fentanyl addictive behavior with male and female mice in a Drinking in the Dark (DID) paradigm. Developmental Pb exposure and fentanyl use disorder (FUD) are critical issues in public health. With similar underlying neurological and demographical characteristics between Pb exposure and FUD, […]
A24: Evaluation of Sustainability within the Construction Industry in Cincinnati, OH
This research is an overview of the sustainability and wood waste management practices of the construction industry with a focus on Cincinnati, Ohio. Waste reduction at the source and wood recycling are solutions to overfilling landfills and wasting construction materials, while also providing a best practice example for sustainable management within the construction industry. Interviews […]
CSIV-01: Estimating Deer Population and Impacts in Miami University Natural Areas
In recent history, deer populations have increased due to the near extinction of natural predators and an increase in available food from agriculture. We need to understand the impact that overabundant deer have on ecosystems in our Miami University Natural Areas. Deer browse causes damage to seedlings, and when seedlings are depleted few become saplings, […]
C41: Thermal Stability of Yeast Alcohol Dehydrogenase in the Undergraduate Teaching Lab
The enzyme yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) is used in the undergraduate biochemistry lab class at Miami University to teach students essential biochemical methods and concepts. Specifically, the students compare the wild type enzyme to overexpressed His-tagged YADH. An experiment was designed for students to monitor protein stability over time using recently “upcycled” HP 8453 UV/Vis […]